Review
Langton House Hotel has been a landmark in Kilkenny since 1935, and three generations later it has grown from a local pub to a family run 35 room hotel comprising of restaurant, tea rooms, late bars and night club, as well the recently added Set Theatre.
The hotel flows from the reception through a series of bars and rooms, out into a garden at the rear. The dining room is divided into three sections, and on a Winters evening is a softly lit restaurant with night lamps on all tables. In summer I imagine it is awash with light. There is a mixture of seating from round tables seating four to rectangle tables with banquette seating around the room. In three areas the ceiling is almost double height, with foliage hanging down, giving a very open feel to the room.
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Langton’s source local produce - everything is supplied where possible from Kilkenny, except some of the fish obviously, which come from Rosslare, the beef’s from Wexford and smoked salmon from Co. Cork, which is simply prepared and superbly presented.
There are a choice of menus from an early bird which is available Sunday to Friday between 5 & 7.30pm, with two courses at €16.50 and 3 courses for €19.50; great value for money. Some of the dishes on the early bird menu include starters like Atlantic seafood chowder, golden fried mushroom or deep fried Brie. Main courses offer oven baked fillet of Cod served with dill cream sauce, Oriental pork stir-fry with crispy Asian vegetables or a pan fried chicken filler served with creamy mushroom sauce. There was also a set dinner menu offering 2-courses for €21.50 and 3-courses for €26.50, as well as the A la Carte.
We opted for the A La Carte which was extremely extensive and took some reading. Approximately ten starters, ranging from €5.50 to €8.00 included crispy Chorizo sausage & Knockdrinna goats cheese on walnut and tomato salad; Thai fish cake with coriander and chilli crème fraiche or warm Goatsbridge smoked trout, beetroot Salsa and horseradish yoghurt. I went with the fried Brie on mixed leaves, with apple and pear chutney, while my daughter had chicken and vegetable soup with pearl barley off the Just For Kids Menu, and the winner of the starters was my husbands seafood chowder served with homemade bread, which was really creamy and lots chunky seafood.
The mains were broken between grilled, poultry, house specialities, fish and salads. All mains were under €20 except a 14oz T-Bone which was €28.50. I was tempted by the crispy roast ½ duck served on sesame fried vegetables and noodles, with honey, soy and ginger sauce. The duck was really crispy and the sauce nicely complemented it, while himself enjoyed the braised shank of lamb cooked in its own juice, on a bed of house mash with mint and honey chutney, while our daughter had the fish and chips off the kids menu. All the mains were really very good, but the duck won out here, if only so could say it was ‘quacking’
Langton’s is an institution that has re-invented itself to remain current, and shows no signs of losing it’s position as one of Kilkenny’s foremost venue.
